Nathan’s Diary part 8: A Funeral & a Duel

In The Doom that Came to Amber

20^th Bull 3658

At breakfast I talk to Aylwin and tell him of my Wardenship. Julian says 24^th of Bull is the date Bleys had arranged for the meeting at Fort in Emerald Heart, a Fae realm. Peter Thrice is to be the advisor to Aylwin.

Later I visit Asmark and arrange a meeting with Khitan and we head to Cordoba together via trump. The trump is of a place near the market. On stepping through I have to throw myself to one side to avoid being run down by a cart. The drive of the cart is Ibrahim son of the Caliph of Cordoba, Salekh-al-Din. I shall have my revenge.

We go to see the Grand Vizier Ahmed-bin-Da’ud. I learn that one third of caravans are attacked and one fifth are destroyed. The Vizier asks whether I have troops or sorcery to defeat them and I reply not. In the past sorcerers from Cordoba contacted the tribes. The Usurper of Cordoba ruined relations. Apparently the sorcery is unclean and taints the soul. The Vizier recommends that I do not visit sorcerers. It is interesting that Ambassador Khitan makes use of “foul sorcery”.

I use the Pattern to find the most knowledgeable merchant. He tells me that the Sea Devils wear sand coloured robes so that they are only visible when they move. When the wind falls in the desert the sandships are slowed giving more time for the attack. Giant sandserpents and winged beasts are sometimes involved. It is rumoured that other merchants deal with the Sand Devils for looted goods. I intend to follow up on this lead.